Step-cover for stairs



(No Model.)

, 1). WALKER. v STEP COVER FOR STAIRS.

No. 564,730. Patented July 28, 1896..

Magma UNITED STATES Pzrrnivr OFFICE.

DAVID WALKER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

STEP-COVER FGOR STAIRS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent No. 564,730, dated July 28, 1896.

Application filed August 13, 1895. Serial No. 559,148. (No model.)

To cvZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAVID WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Step-Covers for Stairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is intended more particularly for service in connection with the steps of polished hard-wood Stairways, although it may be employed in other locations.

It has for its objects the prevention of the quick disfiguration of the finished surface caused by walking thereon, to avoid the danger of slipping when ascending or descending the stairs, to deaden the noise due to the treading on the resonant wood, to avoid the covering of the risers of the stairway and thus admit of the grain of the wood appearing to the eye, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the step-cover for stairways and in the arrangements and combination of parts, all substantially as will be hereinafter setforth, and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in each of the several views, Figure l sents detail perspectives of the fasteningscrews employed in holding the rods in place.

In said drawings, a a are the steps, andb b the risers, of an ordinary stairway, preferably of polished hard wood. At the centers of said steps, extending over the front edges of the same, are the covers 0 c, which are of carpet or similar material, and are adapted to cushion the tread, so as to prevent noise, to prevent slipping on the smooth surface of the finished wood, and to protect the polished surface from injury. Said covers are looped to their opposite longitudinal edges by turning the fabric on itself and fastening the edge portions upon the body portion by sewing or the like, so that the loops may retain the rods after removal from the step. Said covers 0 are firmly fastened. to the steps and risers and are quickly removable therefrom by means slots in the rod, while on the risers hooked screws are employed, which may be turned after the hooked heads or ends have been passed through the slots, so that the said hooked heads will hold the rod in place.

The covers having been fastened in place on the steps under more or less tension and with their forward edges turned down over the nosings of the steps, as shown in-Fig. 1, they may be quickly removed by simply turning the hooks so that the rod held thereby can be withdrawn. The opposite rod may then be readily removed from its fastening-screws, the heads of which may pass through the large ends of the keyhole-slotsof said rod, as will be apparent.

The flat rods are preferably of spring metal and are normally of the bowed shape shown in Fig. 4. In putting the covers down upon the stairway, the rods being inserted in the loops of the covers, the upper rods are grasped at their extremities and are pressed at their convex sides against the steps, the ends being thus bent down, so that the rods become straight and the covers level upon the step. The resiliency of the springs tends to prevent upward bowing at the edges of the cover, as

will be understood. The upper rods being fixed in place, the lower parts of the covers are bent over the nosings and the rods'in the lower loops are fastened to the risers just under said nosings,the parts being so disposed as that considerable tension is brought upon the cover, and this tension serves to hold the rods in position, as will be understood.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a step-cover,tl1e flat bowed rod adapted to be thrust through the edge loop of the carpet and project out from the opposite ends, said rod near its opposite extremities being transversely slotted and open to receive and admit of an easy detachment from the permanent fasteners upon the step, the openings of the slot being toward one side of the rod and the keeping parts of the slots being toward the opposite side of said rod whereby the tension of the carpet will hold the rod in connection with the said permanent fasteners, substantially as set forth.

2. The step-cover herein described which consists of a textile covering having at its opposite longitudinal edges loops formed by turning the said covering in itself and fastening the edges to the body portion, rods extending through said loops and at their opposite ends providing fastening means to en- 30 gage cooperating fasteners, and said cooperating fasteners adapted to be permanently fastened upon the stairway, substantially as set forth.

3. The step-cover herein described which 35 consists of a'textile covering having at its opposite longitudinal edges loops formed 'by turning the said covering on itself and fastening the edge portions to the body portion, flat and bowed rods thrust through said loops and 0 projecting from the opposite ends thereof and thereat being provided with open transverse slots adapted to receive and be separably fastened to permanent cooperating fasteners on the stairway, and said fasteners adapted to 45 be secured to the stairway, said parts being combined and operating substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of Au- 5o gust, 1895. a

. DAVID WALKER. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, O. B. PITNEY. 

